Clinical officers call for Health CS, SHA leadership to resign as nationwide strike looms

Clinical officers are demanding the resignation of Ministry of Health officials over the reported failures of the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme.

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has called on Health CS Debrah Mulongo Barasa, Director General Patrick Amoth, and SHA Chairman Abdi Mohamed to resign during a press conference in Nairobi on Friday.

The Union's Officials led by Chairman Peterson Wachira and Secretary General George Gibore maintained that their strike scheduled to kick off on Monday, January 20, is still on and urged members of the public to seek alternative treatment.

"According to our last Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the government has reneged on multiple promises including promotion, and transition of personnel to permanent and pensionable," said Gibore

He went further to explain that the government was yet to conclude the documentation and filing of the CBA in court as had earlier been agreed, citing delay tactics and legal foul play.

"We refuse to be part of any attempts by the government to subvert the law to the detriment of our members. As such, we are calling on Kenyans to support our cause by redirecting patients in public health facilities to alternative healthcare providers," he stated.

On his part, the Union's Chairman Wachira commended the patients who stormed the Ministry of Health's Press Conference at Afya House earlier in the week, decrying the constant system breakdown in SHA.

"It is very encouraging to see patients demanding accountability from their government which has not been delivered on their agenda. We have no option but to follow suit and fight," he said.

Regarding CS Barasa, the Union claimed that she has made it difficult for Kenyans to access treatment through SHA, noting favouritism towards medical doctors with regard to empanelment.

"Despite clinical officers outnumbering both medical doctors and nurses, we have not been given the authority to access the SHA system and approve the treatment of patients. This is the main thing delaying service delivery and the CS is the only one to blame," explained Peterson.